


Aftermath

by Lamker



Series: Verde' gehat'ik (Soldiers' story) [3]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clones, Consequences, Krell is a bastard, May the 4th be with you, Minor Character Death, Post-Episode: s04e07 Darkness on Umbara, References to the Jedi Council, Umbara, and they're all jerks, especially to his own men, luckily they get adopted, things change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-28 01:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10820487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lamker/pseuds/Lamker
Summary: After Umbara, a lot of things changed. Pong Krell did his damage, and now many were left to try and mend it all back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy May 4th aka May the 4th be with you! I did this little thing in honor of Star Wars day =D  
> Anyway, it's a one-shot-three-part-thingy, showing three different events that happened in the course of a few days/weeks. I've been itching to write something like this and I hope you can all enjoy ^^
> 
> I don't own anything! Read, review and enjoy =D  
> Oh, also, translations are at the end (you'll know what I mean when you get there)

 

_Things were… uneasy. Even that was a mayor understatement. Shaken, lost and bend. But not broken. It was something Anakin found extremely admirable in his men. But it didn't stop him from noticing the slight changes. They were tenser, even when on the ship. In battle, they kept their distance from him; as if afraid he'd strike them down as well. Rex lost some of his light hearted comments and jokes. And Anakin couldn't blame them one bit._

He came to Umbara as quickly as he could, but it clearly wasn't fast enough. He managed to catch a glimpse of one of his own – Dogma – be taken into custody, while a few others were gathered by another ship, watching.

"Rex?" he called, not caring if his concern was visible on his face.

"General," the exhaustion and relief in the Captain's voice were unmistakable, and the Jedi could feel despair, anger and guilt oozing from him and the rest. He was glad to have left Ahsoka back on the ship. She might have been overwhelmed by all the emotions flowing on the Force. What had happened?

"I leave you alone for a bit, and everything seems to go to hell," he tried to joke, yet none of the soldiers – not even Fives – even seemed to enjoy it. If anything, their expressions grew grimmer and they avoided looking at him all together.

"…A lot has happened, sir…" Rex replied, his fists clenching.

"Tell me what," this time, the General spoke carefully, almost softly. He didn't want to order his friend to talk about it just yet if he wasn't ready.

"It might be… better, when we're on the Resolute…"

"Right, let's get you boys home."

It was only on the journey back that Anakin saw just how fewer men there were. So many wounded and so many more dead. He stared for a moment, and then turned his gaze to the blonde, who kept looking at the ground.

"Captain!" Kix had come running up to the two. "Niner, Visor and Rocky are going to pull through!" the medic had an exhausted and small smile on his face, and it seemed Rex's expression brightened ever so slightly by the news.

"Good job Kix. Don't forget to get some rest, alright?" the Captain patted the younger man on the shoulder, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Understood sir," the medic seemed to hesitate for a moment, yet still nodded. And, as Skywalker saw, there was much more… tenderness and relief in their interactions. And not just theirs, but among all the clones.

* * *

Once back on the ship, the wounded were firstly taken to the medical wing. After that, a few just sat down, catching their breath or moved closer to some of their brothers, mourning the dead. Final casualty counts were made and a couple more soldiers realized their friend didn't make it. The feelings Anakin was faced with almost knocked him off his feet. It made him dizzy and twisted his gut, but he fought through it. If his men could bear it, so would he.

"Master! Rex!" Ahsoka came running to the two, hand in the air and a worried expression on her face. She glanced around the hanger bay, horrified by what she saw and felt.

"What happened down there?" as she asked, Rex bit his lip and looked to the side again. The Jedi could feel him trying to suppress his feelings, but was failing.

"I think it's best if we move out of here and… somewhere else…" Skywalker said, looking from the Captain to the Commander.

As the three began to move out of the hanger, Anakin could see the worried and even slightly angered expressions on his men.

"Rex…" Fives was waiting by the exit, leaning on the side, but his eyes were hard and locked on the Force wielders.

"Ni'll cuyir morut'yc, Fives. Ibic cuyir nayc guuror Krell," Rex spoke before either of them could ask anything. "Why don't you go check on Tup? This can't be easy on him…"

"Cuyir ulyc…" the ARC trooper whispered as he reluctantly did as he was told.

"Ratiin cuy'," Rex gave a small smile, followed by Fives chuckling.

The Jedi only watched the small exchange. They knew the language - Mando'a – but didn't understand it. Clones didn't usually use it in front of them, but when they did, it was always something private.

* * *

It was at the bridge that the trio finally stopped and settled. It was empty for now, so no one could really overhear them. Rex looked even more tired than before and Ahsoka was growing more and more worried.

"I don't know where to start…" Rex admitted, leaning back on the edge of the holo table.

"How about after I left?" Skywalker tried to help, but didn't want to sound like he was pushing or forcing the man to speak.

"Yeah, I guess that's when things went to hell…" Rex's eyes darkened and he seemed to age right there in front of the Jedi.

Rex began the retelling of what went down; trying very hard to keep it much like a report, yet his voice would grow weaker when telling of the senseless deaths. Anger would rise up when he spoke of how Krell treated them. He paused when telling about how the infighting among the men. He hesitated to explain how Hardcase and Fives took the enemy aircraft. And he needed a minute before explain the massacre that was orchestrated by Krell with the battle between the 501st and 212th men. And finally, how they all agreed to arrest him, only to see he was far too dangerous to let live. How Dogma, who was now sitting in prison or worse, shot him. How he deserved a damn medal, not cuffs.

And all the while, the Jedi listened, patiently, waiting for him to continue. Ahsoka was trembling slightly by the end, feeling sick. And Anakin… Anakin thought his palms would start bleeding if he didn't stop digging his nails in them. But by the end, when Rex told of the slaughter, he could hardly keep himself in check.

When he finished, Rex was still and silent, keeping himself composed. The tension in his body had grown through the report, as if he was waiting for some sort of punishment. The silence in the air around them was heavy and almost suffocating.

"Rex, I'm so sorry…" Tano broke the silence, moving to touch her friend, but he flinched away, before giving an apologetic look. Both finally understood. Krell had cracked them. Not broken, but their trust in the Jedi was weakened. Even if they trusted them and protected them, the clones would never be the same again.

"…Permission to leave…?" the blonde asked, jaw locked and eyes burning into the ground.

"Granted," Anakin nodded, his own movement stiff as he tried to control his rage.

* * *

The Captain gave a hard salute, turned around and left the bridge. As soon as the doors closed, Skywalker slammed his fist onto the table, bearing his teeth and fire in his eyes.

"If that damn traitor wasn't dead already, I'd have-!" he paused when he sensed sudden fear and saw his Padawan moved away a bit.

"…" the two looked at each other for a few seconds, before Anakin let out a deep breath and calmed himself down.

"They're already scared of you – of us. Acting out of anger like that… It won't help," Ahsoka said quietly, moving a bit closer.

"I know Snips; I know…" the Master took another calming breath. "I just hope we can try and mend their trust."

* * *

Rex made it down the hall to the first corner, before he stopped and leaned on the wall. He had his eyes clenched tight, hands in fists and a scream building in his throat. He didn't think it'd be so hard, telling it all over again. But it was. He was so close to losing it back there a few times, but kept himself under control.

"…Rex?" he felt someone put a hand on his shoulder and snapped around, almost knocking the person over.

"Fives?" he blinked a few times, trying to stop the liquid from escaping. "Don't tell me you were listening in?"

"No, I was just waiting. You know, in case…" the ARC trooper trailed off, sounding almost ashamed. "I know they wouldn't hurt us, but after what happened with Krell…"

"I know, Fives. Trust me, I do. But we can't let one person poison our trust in everyone."

"It won't be easy, you know. For anyone."

"I know. But if I have to, I'll be the bridge."

"You still believe in them? Even after all that's happened?"

"…Someone has to, right? If we can't trust our allies, our friends, we've already lost the war. It's what Krell wanted to do, but we won't let him."

"Well, if you can keep it up, I'm pretty sure everyone else can, Captain."

"They look up to you too, Fives. Keep that in mind next time you try to do something stupid."

"Hey, someone has to, right? And I know you'll always help me out!"

* * *

A few days later, Anakin received word from the Jedi Council that Rex would be put on trial for what happened on Umbara. Skywalker was infuriated that they would even consider it and when the Captain heard about it he clearly understood what would happen. But Anakin wasn't about to sit by and let that happen.  
He defended his friend fiercely, stating he wouldn't let the Council interrogate and then use him as a scape goat. After all, they'd do anything to deny they couldn't sense one of their own going to the Dark Side. The Council tried to ignore him, but when Kenobi joined in, they were at a loss.  
Combined with the reports from the 212th and 501st they managed to convince them that the men were only doing what they had to: eliminating a threat to the Republic. And as for the execution of Krell, they reasoned that the clones rather not risked the traitor getting free again. Kenobi really did let them hear it and being the best negotiator in the Outer Rim made it seem like there was never anything to worry about.

That, coupled with the assistance of the 212th in clearing what remained on Umbara, forced the Council to revoke the trial. And it showed the clones that there were still Jedi out there, willing to help and defend them.

"That could have gone badly," Cody admitted, speaking with Rex after the whole thing was settled and everyone calmed down.

"Yes. I'm just glad it ended as it did," Rex agreed, letting out a tired breath and leaning with his back against the wall.

The two met up when the 212th arrived to help, and when the majorities were taken care of, were given a break. Their Generals were discussing their next move in the command room, while they just went for a short walk around the newly taken Umbara base.

"I'm sorry for your losses…" the older clone murmured, unsure how to tackle this.

"Thanks, and sorry for yours as well…" there was a brief pause. "How's Boil doing?" the man in blue risked asking. He knew him and Waxer were close, so the latter's death must have really shaken him.

"…He's managing," Cody let out a breath, running a hand over his face. "He's a soldier, he'll pull through. But…" he trailed off.

"It's never easy," the older clone just nodded.

"Thanks for getting the helmet back to him."

"It was the least I could do."

Another silence as they just allowed the full weight of what happened come to them. Things would change, they knew that much.

* * *

The only thing left now, were Krell's men themselves. The 112th was one of the most cut off and isolated Battalion in all of the GAR. And since the Jedi Council didn't really care about the clones or what happened, no one bothered to try and connect them.  
But with Krell gone, the men had no general and no leader. Hell, they were hardly a Battalion at this point anyway. Pong might have won many battles, but his casualties were too high. That's why the 112th wasn't given a new command, but instead was set to be integrated into the 501st and 212th Battalions. And things were not easy.

Krell's men were skittish all the time. During battle, they worked more like droids than clones, always doing exactly what they were told and never speaking back. They were hard and closed off, keeping to themselves whenever they could. If asked to join in any activities, they would very politely and carefully decline, huddled together in their bunks. They carried weapons on them at all times, no matter where they were and ate the bare minimum, trying to save what was left for later or their brothers, even when they were told there was enough food for each and every one to have seconds. And the worst part? They had almost completely abandoned their names, answering to their birth numbers. Many either didn't remember their names or didn't even have them.

It was hard to see and watch, brothers being so scared of everything. Anakin and Kenobi gave them their space and worked with them as carefully as they could, avoiding even bringing their lightsabers to meetings with them. Other clones encouraged them, showed them there was nothing to be scared of and that they were free. They even began to name them themselves, asking if they liked it. Or tried to help them remember what they called themselves before Krell degraded them to numbers.

Progress was minimal, until the former Captain of the 112th – Reeve - finally gathered the courage to volunteer himself and a few men for a mercy mission. They were expected to be yelled at, told that is ridiculous and they should shut up and follow orders. But instead, Anakin had smiled, asked how many he wanted to take along. Even put a few of the older and experienced soldiers along, to make sure everything went smoothly. It was the first crack in the 112th boys' shell.

It didn't take much more after that, that the newcomers warmed up and accepted their new command and brothers. They were still the most skittish and careful among the brothers, but much less than when they first came around. They began joining in on training exorcizes and other activities, and turned out to be quite the funny bunch. Many took on new names, given to them by their brothers – and two even got named by Skywalker – saying that this was a sort of new life for them. The men still kept in contact, spread between the 501st and 212th and they were all glad to find their brothers were doing as well as them.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They did as they were told, even when they knew it was wrong. And now that it was over, the silence of hundreds of dead haunted them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I didn't really plan on making more of this? But I. Just. Had. To. This Arc just, left me with so many feelings, and I just need to let them out! Heck, I might even make more, but let's not get ahead of ourselves...  
> This is a bit of a different view on the same thing - kinda alongside the first one, but also not? Whatever.
> 
> Nothing's mine, you know that.  
> Read, review and enjoy

 

They could almost feel things change when Pong Krell stepped off the gunship and Anakin Skywalker stepped on. They heard the way he spoke to the Captain – the arrogance, superiority and disgust. And in all honestly, the only reason anything got done during that time, was because of the Captain. Because he worked and tried so damn hard to find a middle ground between their duty to the Republic – the Jedi, and his own responsibility and duty to them – to make sure they survive. How he managed it for so long, no one was even sure how, but they knew no one could have done it better.

They had all heard stories about the man – about Krell. Of his casualty ratings and hard plans. And their brothers from his Battalion were isolated, so they had little to no contact with them. But when their march began, they felt like they didn't need to ask. This plant was working against them, constantly, and they were starting to get worn down. Kix gave the most needed some boosts, to keep them moving, while Rex went and asked the General for a short break. His answer sent chills up their spines.

"He's going to get us all killed…" Volley grumbled, a frown under his bucket.

"Can't the Captain do anything?" Ink asked, showing he was still new.

"Not really, no… The best he can do is advice and try to convince the General. But his orders are law…" Jesse sounded more and more grim with each word he said.

"General Skywalker would never do this…" Fives came up next to them, shaking his head.

"He must have his reasons – we do need to take that base as soon as we can," Dogma sounded like he actually believed what he was saying.

"Yeah, but what good are we in a fight, if we can barely stand?" Kix was close to hissing, passing along some more of the boosters.

"We'll just have to trust the Captain will do what he can…" they turned their eyes on the said man, walking besides the Besalisk. They've learned to read each other by body language, and they could clearly see the tension and even guilt on the blonde.

* * *

Things only got worse the further they went. Krell was a monster, pushing them, forcing them into these damn suicidal missions. Rex tried and tried, but he just seemed to be making Pong annoyed. But after a while and _so many dead_ , he managed to make progress. It was bare minimum, but at least something.

"How many dead?" the Captain had asked after the ambush they got. There was no need to answer – _too many_. And their heart went out to Kix… The poor medic has been on his feet constantly, switching between brothers, pulling them out of harm and saving the few he could. But so many more couldn't be saved, and he carried their deaths on his shoulders. His pleas of: ' _Hold on!' 'Stay with me!' 'I got you!_ ' were hard to bear by the nearby brothers. And the Umbarans… they seemed to be pleading as well, for someone to save them. Clink saw one reaching out for the medic when he dragged a broken brother to safety.

It was during these battles, that some of the clones realized something: This was a twist on when the Separatists attacked Kamino. They were just defending their home, their people… But for the sake of their own family, they banished those thoughts.

" _This is war. Good soldiers follow orders."_

So they kept fighting, trying their best even as brothers died all around them. They used their anger for Krell on the enemy. Someone had to pay. Someone had to suffer. And if it couldn't be the bastard himself, it'd be the one next.

* * *

Only a few knew what Fives, Jesse and Hardcase were planning to do. Defiantly none of the rookies, but even if they did, they wouldn't have told anyone. The only person, who seemed to think to tell on their brothers, was Dogma. And he dragged Tup into it!

Rex had been trying to keep the peace, not just between the men and Krell, but between brothers as well. He couldn't outright call Pong the bastard he was – even if they all, or most, knew it was true. They were built to fight, to serve the Jedi. They'd all be going against everything they've ever believed in, and Rex had to set an example. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to step in if anything happened. So when Dogma thought about going to see the General, he knew perfectly well what it was about. The man was a good soldier, but he was so hard on the rules. So the Captain did what he had to, to keep them out.

It wasn't long after though, that everyone saw the sky brighten for the first time since they set food on this shadow-ball of a planet. _They did it_. Some knew it was Fives, Jesse and Hardcase, others thought it was the brothers fighting in the sky. It didn't really matter at the moment – they won this battle! But at what cost…

Almost everyone knew of Hardcase – he was hard to miss. Or, so they thought. Now that they heard he's gone, died for his brothers, there was an emptiness no one could fill. Rex and Fives seemed especially drained from that – they could only assume both had seen a similar brother die. And then came the consequences… No one was sure what to expect – an angry Krell, yes. But court martial? In the middle of a war zone? It seemed like a very, very bad nightmare. They knew the Captain would try and do something, maybe take the blame, and that scared them. What would they do without him? He was the only one keeping everything from falling to pieces. But Fives seemed to know that and asked for the blame to fall on himself. It was horrible either way, but after so much infighting, seeing brothers still defending each other… it was refreshing.

* * *

The execution was… horrific. They were forced to kill their own brothers, for doing something they all knew was right and saved a lot of lives! But orders were orders – _good soldiers followed orders_. There was nothing anyone could do – Rex had tried. So when they walked up to their cuffed brothers, they weren't even really there. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. And they couldn't even find strength in their usual pillar of calm – the Captain. He couldn't bear to look. A few had heard of what happened on Felucia with a squad mate of his and how he had to execute him himself to save others. This must have brought back a lot of hurtful memories.

But Fives had managed to break them out of their fog of confusion. His words cut into their minds, clearing away everything. Orders might be orders, but this was wrong. _No brother should have to go out this way!_ So they did the only thing they could – they misfired. All of them. They disobeyed direct orders. They were relived – everyone was, but they knew there'd be consequences again. And this time, it might very well cost them everything.

* * *

There was… hardly a word to describe Pong Krell after what happened when he sent them off to fight, what he told them, was the enemy wearing clone armor. But the Mandalorian's has the perfect one: **demagolka**. It's described as someone who commits atrocities, a real-life monster, a war criminal. And that's exactly what the Gen- the bastard was to them. To all of them. They were devastated, guilt ridden and fear stricken. _What had they just done…? So, so many dead,_ _ **and for what?!**_ He would pay for this, one way or another, Krell wasn't getting away with this!

That's why, when the Captain suggested what they do, no one even hesitated. They were about to go against everything they've known, and they didn't think twice about it. This was not a Jedi, not to them. This was an enemy and they needed to take him out. For the first time since Krell came, they've been united and unafraid. They could release their anger, their hate… For their brothers. Both the fallen and those who had to work under him. This is for all of them. And they marched, resolute, fearless and never been more sure of anything in their life. This ends, now.

* * *

When things were finally over – not the way they had thought – they weren't sure what would happen next. The Republic will want someone to answer for what happened, and the one everything would be put on, would be Dogma.

He might have been against them, going as far as betraying them, but they understood. He was doing what he thought was right, and they couldn't blame him for it. But he did redeem himself in the end, by shooting Krell himself. They knew what would happen – they'd probably never see him again, but they would be grateful to him. He took the heat off of Rex, who would probably be set on trial or something for being the commanding officer. These were technically his orders. And if he would have been the one to shoot Krell… They didn't even want to think about what would happen. They couldn't lose the man now, not after all that's happened. Not after everything…

So they counted their dead _– so many, too many –_ and mourned everyone they lost. When Skywalker came, they were on edge. _Jedi. Enemy. Harm. Protect brothers_. The past week was burned into their minds, their bodies, and it might take a while before they get back into the usual rhythm of things. If ever. They just knew that it'd never been the same again. Not after this. And it seemed Anakin could feel it himself…

* * *

Things were uneasy at best… When they came back to the Resolute, many felt like coming home. A safe place, far away from the nightmare that was Umbara. And they allowed their sorrow, anger, fear and exhaustion show. Only a few managed to keep up the façade, and those were the ones who really needed to. The Captain and the Sergeant, and at first, Fives, but after the Captain talked with the Jedi – something everyone was ready for if things went south – he could be found in his bunker, sobbing.

Tup and Kix probably took it the hardest. The rookie just lost _so many brothers_ , including both Dogma and Hardcase. And the medic almost collapsed onto the floor of the hanger, shaking and muttering to himself. So many he couldn't save, so many that died. And he barely had any rest between everything that happened…

Both the General and Commander gave them their space, although Ahsoka tried to approach a few of the older ones. They tried their best, but their smiles were forced, their shoulders tense and many brothers nearby kept their hands on their weapons. She didn't stay long, sensing the atmosphere and letting them be. They felt bad about it, almost shamed… she was just trying to help, see how they were doing. But they weren't ready, not just yet, to let another Jedi get so close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cut! Yeah, I just - had to get this out. I feel like there's too little about this arc - or at least the effects of it.  
> Oh also, there's a refrence here to my story - Aliit ori'shya tal'din (Family is more than blood) - so read that if you wanna know? (Although it does happen by the end) For those who did/do read it, you know what I'm talking about  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed and, if you did, maybe leave a review about it? Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jedi Order was everything to him. He trusted it and believed it. Allow it to guide him. And yet, when he heard about what happened on Umbara, he could feel the faith shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one was a kinda-but-not-really request to see Obi-Wan's side and I- just couldn't resist. So here it is. Hopefully it came out alright, give how little we actually see of him in the whole damn arc.

Kenobi knew he could count on Anakin and his men to do their part in this battle. They always did. That's also why he allowed himself to fully focus on his own task. The 501st was one, if not the best Battalion. It was the only one he didn't have to worry about or very few times. But at times like this, with battles as important as this? He trusted in them to do everything in their power to accomplish their task. But that was before he knew of the switch between Generals…

General Pong Krell was not on Kenobi's list of respected people. He admitted that, yes, he got the job done, yet the means do not justify the end. And Krell was renowned for his casualty rates.

Obi-Wan would be lying if he said he didn't worry a bit. He had faith in the 501st that they would still do as they were tasked, yet this Battalion was… exceptional, especially because of the way they and Anakin worked. With Pong taking over, it would probably a change for the men. He just wasn't sure if it'd be good or bad. But he didn't get to dwell on that for long, as his own forces were being pushed back.

* * *

He worked as well as he could with what he had, yet the enemy was too well fortified. The space battle was overwhelming – the Umbarans had advance technology and weapons that they had no way of countering.

"Boil, I want you to take a squad down on the planet! Secure the north base, while General Krell's team takes the airbase," he had ordered, seeing they got reinforcements from there.

"Understood sir! We'll wait for the 501st to join us there!" Boil had his usual smile as he saluted.

"Don't go off and be a hero," Waxer warned, a small smile on the corner of his lips.

"Aw, but I like being the hero."

Their friendly banter took his mind off the feelings he was receiving in the force. It was shaking, quivering almost, filled with sorrow and sadness at the loss of life. Kenobi had sensed such death before, but never in this amount. Flickers in the Force – flickers he knew were clones – seemed to vanish in great amounts in seconds. He suppressed a shiver up his spine, focusing on inner peace as he was taught.

_This was war. This happens. Life is lost. Soldiers die._

And yet… he couldn't ignore the pleas, the screams as life was lost. And he knew where it was coming from…

"General?" he blinked at the call, looking at the worried expression of Cody.

"Pardon?" he hadn't realized he was lost in thought.

"…You sense something, don't you?" Cody knew of the change in command, and had voiced his worry about it. And now, Obi-Wan knew he must also be feeling _something_.

"We mustn't dwell on it, Cody. We must press on, focus on our task. Otherwise, everything has been for nothing," he couldn't tell the Commander of what he felt. He didn't even want to word it. _So much death…_ and it kept pilling. He just hoped that, by the end of this battle, there was a 501st to lead.

* * *

Cody was a bit anxious, he admitted. Knowing that _Pong Krell_ was leading his brothers in battle sent shivers up his spine. How he wished they had picked anyone else, or maybe just let Rex handle it. Anything would be better than that horror of a General.

He had told General Kenobi what he thought, but the Jedi couldn't do anything about it. He didn't even know what to expect, but maybe just saying it made him feel batter. Still, it would be a load off his chest if he could _even contact_ the 501st but with all the interference coming from the Umbarans it was near impossible. But he'll just have to trust his brothers and know that they can handle it.

* * *

Things were getting worse for them and Kenobi really needed some help. He had no way of attacking the Capital from where he was and as much as he hated doing it, he had to call in the 501st. They were, at the moment, the best chance he got.

Krell had told him they would march on the Capital – or so he thought the other Jedi did. The interference was getting worse and worse. But either way, Obi-Wan wanted to say that was a bad idea. Very bad. The men would get blown to bits before they made any progress.

Yet, when three new Umbaran ships suddenly joined the battle, he… felt something. Something familiar. It didn't take much searching with the Force to recognize the clone signature in the Force – and for the first time in a while, he allowed himself a smile. Ordering the ships to avoid firing at those three, he was curios what they would do. And seeing what they did do, made him realize – this wasn't Krell's plan. It had too much of an 'Anakin Plan' feel to it to be from Pong. That only meant that the soldiers must have gone on their own or something of the like.

It was minutes later that the trio of clones proved themselves – the supply ship exploded in the brightest color many of them had seen in days. But Kenobi sensed only two of the three escape and return to base. Knowing them, he figured one of them had stayed behind to make sure the supply ship went down. It was also why, as soon as he could, he contacted Krell. Perhaps if he was quick to tell him these men saved lives and turned the tide of the battle, he would not be angry at them.

* * *

Everything seemed to be going well for once as Kenobi and his men proceeded to the Capital. He was only a bit worried about the last transmission from Boil – something about a situation, but they could handle it just fine.

And as their luck usually goes, something did happen. The Force suddenly surged. _Pain, suffering, death, hurt, fear, death, death, death!_ It made him dizzy at first, needing to lean on a wall to keep himself steady. And the feeling just grew and grew, until it seemed to reach its peak. _Horror, shame, death, guilt, rage, sorrow, anger, death, pain, hatred, disbelief, death, death, death._ It made him sick, twisting around him, through him and he collapsed on his hands and knees, coughing before heaving empty.

Cody and a few others were by his side in seconds, asking him questions, gently touching his shoulders, shouting for medics. _**We need a medic!**_ He wasn't even sure if it was Cody or someone from the 501st he heard shout that. The Force was overwhelming him; making his head hurt and he had to focus so hard to put up a wall to block all of those feelings. But he was too late. They were burned into his core. His breath hitched as he felt a sadistic and pleased pulse in the Force not far from all the death. It was dark, twisted and evil.

He tried to speak, but couldn't even form proper words. He might have blocked out anything else coming, but what he already absorbed was biting into him, threatening to dissolve the shield he placed around himself. The men around him were worried and concerned, even when they helped drag him into the infirmary. It was only there that he managed to calm all the voices, all the screams, long enough to calm himself as well.

Blackout gave him some medication, and he accepted it, before entering meditation. He had to process this before he went anywhere – make sure his barrier would hold up against another assault like that. It still made him sick, trying to remove it all from his mind.

_There is no emotion, only peace. There is no ignorance, only knowledge. There is no passion, only serenity. There is no chaos, only harmony. There is no death, only the Force._

He repeated the Code over and over again, until he was sure he had removed all of those horrible feelings, before even daring to move.

* * *

Obi-Wan was one of the first to know what had happened in the airbase. He sent down as many transport and gunships as he could, but didn't have the heart to go there himself. If he sensed their pain at such a long distance, he feared coming near them might actually suffocate him. But he knew Anakin, and he knew he would rush to the scene as soon as he could. He'd feel the weight of all that happened, knowing next to nothing. Kenobi only slightly envied him – he could only wish to forget what he felt.

When the full report finally came in, he received it as well. Jewels had been on the ground team when it happened, but he hardly knew the whole story. So Rex's report filled in most of the blanks and made his blood run cold. Reading all of it, all of what Krell did to them… it was horrific. To think such a man was not only a General, but a Jedi as well? How could they have been so blind?! And there was no way the Council would take the blame for this. It would likely land on the Captain and Obi-Wan wasn't just going to sit by and let it happen. The Council wasn't getting away with this. Not if he had anything to say about it.

* * *

Kenobi was one of the Generals, along with Skywalker, Shaak Ti and Unduli who suggested the 112th be integrated into their own Battalions. No one really wanted to deal with the paper work between the argument, so it passed rather quickly.

Cody took it on as a personal mission to see to every new member to the 212th making sure the men knew they were safe. But Obi-Wan could feel the fear and terror oozing off of the men as they came aboard. And it spiked tenfold when he came within their sights.

It made him so sad, seeing so many good soldiers so broken. Krell really did his damage on them. And his mind carried him to the thought of – what if. If Pong had done the same to his and Anakin's men? He quickly banished that thought as he welcomed the new members.

Within a few days, he saw they were hardly adjusting and no one would even come near him. The one time he tried to approach them, they tensed up and he could feel their rapid heartbeats in the Force. He noticed their eyes kept going to his hands and his lightsaber and he recalled what Rex had said in his report. Pong must have used both the Force and his weapon to break these men, and now they expected the same here.

Talking with Anakin showed a similar situation in the 501st only that Ahsoka had found out something – none of these men had names. They used their birth numbers, even among each other. They were working on getting them named, but it was taking time, especially when they didn't trust the Jedi.

So, Kenobi gave a proposition to his Padawan – if ever going near them, leave the lightsaber behind, or away from the men, and hands where they could easily see them. Skywalker was more than willing to follow in that.

When asking Cody about progress, the Commander told him that a few of the 112th have remembered their names, and a few more were named by their brothers. They were still scared and skittish, but were slowly coming out of their shell. And Obi-Wan couldn't miss the almost relived and happy tone in the clone's voice as he said that. These men might be broken, but with the proper help and support, they can be fixed. The crack will be visible, but they can be whole again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cut! This one was kinda... hard to write? There's only so much you can do when a character appears for about 5 minutes in four episodes but I tried my best (mind, I did this late into Friday and early into Saturday so I think I did good)  
> There'll be more coming soon, I'm sure (Assuming I don't get buried by my tests...)  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed! If you did, I'd love you if you reviewed what you thought!
> 
> Next up will be the 112th (Krell's men) point of view of things so be ready for that


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For so long, they only knew fear, pain and suffering. And then suddenly, they were free from the monster looming over them. But the world was so different from what they came to know. Could they really get back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are - the 112th boys. I'll admit, this one was... really nice to write? I enjoyed it more than I should have. Also, I'd like to ask all you lovely readers if anyone else's done these men? Or am I the first? (So, are they kinda mine? I don't know, so I'm asking!)  
> Anyway, this will be the last one here for the... next two weeks, probably? (School is a kriffing monster) but feel free to drop an idea or something in the review (since I'm not sure what else to add at the moment?)
> 
> As usual, read, review and enjoy

 

When they were first assigned to the 112th Battalion, they were proud and ready to serve. By then, the war was only beginning, so there was not much reputation to go around with, with the exception of a few Jedi. So when they first met Jedi General Pong Krell, they were… surprised. They've heard the Jedi to be peacemakers and protectors, yet this particular Jedi seemed uncaring and ruthless. He made it clear quickly that he didn't really care about the men or what happens to them. Most of them had just gotten their names and he refused to use them, for most anyway. Captain Reeve, Sergeant Loto and Lieutenant Buster were the only ones he referred to by their name, and even that with disgust. They quickly realized that no matter what they do, this man wouldn't care.

Since they were all mostly the same age, young by the usual standards, no one dared to speak back to their General yet. They weren't supposed to – his orders are to be obeyed no matter what _. Good soldiers, follow orders._

But when the next batch came, new rookies, the older ones felt that 'older brother' instinct take over. They just wished they could have done more than keep the shineys away from Krell, try and preserve their names and spare them any hard aches. But things were getting worse and worse the longer this went on…

Krell might have been a ruthless bastard, but he wasn't a monster. He didn't needlessly throw them into enemy fire, over and over again, expecting things to change. He didn't ban communications with others and didn't bother himself with them when they mourned the loss of their brothers. That is, until sometime in the middle of the war…

* * *

It all seemed to happen during the night. The day prior, he was his usual, cold and uncaring self. The next, he was constantly on edge, growling and yelling and every little thing set him off. No one was sure what happened, but they tried to pretend it was nothing new. Tried, and failed.

"From today onwards, we will be doubling our efforts," Krell had called them all together to address them. He walked along the lines of clones, hands behind his back and eyes glaring in front of him. "Unless we work harder, the enemy will destroy us!" he hissed, glaring down the Captain.

"But, sir, with all due respect," Loto spoke up and every brother wanted to move to stop him from talking. "We just finished a battle! We need some time to-!" but the Sergeant didn't get to finish as Pong extended one of his arms at him and the clone suddenly reached for his throat, trying to pray away an invisible hand.

"You will do as I say, clone!" the Jedi hissed, eyes narrowing and his fist tightening. "If I say be silent, you will not speak. If I say you will attack, you will attack. And if I say you will face the next enemy now, you will do so!" Loto's choking was echoing around them, his arms growing weaker as he seemed close to passing out.

"Sir, you're killing him!" Reeve called, daring to raise an arm onto the General's.

In seconds, Loto was on the ground, neck twisted at a sickening angle and Reeve was lifted off his feet by his torso, a green lightsaber inches from his face.

"You dare?!" Pong roared, eyes blazing as the Captain couldn't tear his eyes away from the green energy of death. "You have no rights! You are nothing but tools to be used and tossed aside! Do not think any of you matter!" he growled into the soldier's face, before abruptly dropping him and glaring down. "Remember that next time you try something as stupid as this, lab rat," with that, Krell turned around and left, not even giving the men a second look.

The rest were… frozen to say the least. When Loto was grabbed, their bodies seemed to just shut down and many didn't even dare breath. And then, when the Captain faced a similar situation, they were almost shaking in fear. Only when Pong turned to leave, did a few dare to move to check on the Captain and Sergeant. Reeve was shaken and needed a second to collect himself, while Loto was dead. It was there and then that the men of the 112th realized nothing would ever be the same again…

Hardly a day later, Krell prevented them from communicating with anyone outside their Battalion. He put on a strict curfew and cut their food and drink ratios in half. If anyone tried to slightly work around it, they were either lucky enough to survive or he downright killed them if he was in the mood.

Reeve hated how he couldn't do anything, anything at all to help his brothers. _Failure. You can't protect anyone. He'll kill them all. It's your fault_. He was still the highest ranking clone in the Battalion, and Krell had already broken him, so that probably kept him from death. It'd be a bother for the General to get new commanding officers to be as compliant yet effective as the current ones if anything happened.

* * *

When word got out that General Krell would be leaving, the 112th didn't even really care **why**. Just that he's going _. Freedom, even if only temporary_. Breathing became easier as the news traveled. But then, so did where he was going…

"The 501st Battalion…?" they whispered carefully and in slight fear. They've heard of the Legendary Men in Blue and admired them. These clones, so much like them, have been through so much and won so many times. In a way, they were their heroes. And now, the heroes will meet the greatest monster they've ever known. Reeve hated the voice inside his head, telling him _better them than you._ He just prayed they would survive this and not be broken by him like they were.

In the absence of Krell, most of the men weren't sure what to do. They've never really had 'free time' since joining and didn't have anything special in mind if the opportunity ever arose. Mainly because they doubted it ever would. But now that it did come, they found themselves wandering around the empty halls, huddled together in the mess hall or sleeping peaceful for the first time in their bunks. They were making most of the situation and cherished it for as long as they could, knowing that once the Jedi came back, there's no way of telling when this might happen again.

* * *

There's been no communication with Pong since he left, and the men were slightly worried. Worried that something might have happened, that their distant brothers were all in danger, that their General had done _something_. They still had nothing to do, but a few did make their way to the training ground, trying to release some of the stress. So they were just waiting now, for whatever was to happen, to happen already.

However, getting a visit from two brothers was not what any of them expected. And not only that, but the two who did visit? They were the Famed Commander Cody and Captain Rex. Most of the 112th couldn't believe their eyes. These two? Their heroes were here, right now, talking to them? Maybe they were all going stir crazy from being stuck here, but no, it was real. They somehow managed to keep themselves from showing just how excited and honored they were for the duo's visit. They didn't even care _why_ they came. At least, not until they heard the reason…

"General Krell… is **dead**?" Reeve whispered, voice shaking as he stood in front of the two battle worn brothers. His body was trembling as he slightly extended his arm, as if trying to check if this was all an illusion.

"He was no General…" Captain Rex said lowly and reached for Reeve's arm, gently touching him by the forearm. "But he's gone yes," they finally saw a familiar exhaustion and tiredness in the blonde's eyes. One they saw every time they saw their own face.

Captain Reeve's reaction was… understandable and to a degree, predictable. He took in a few quick breathes, before collapsing on his keens, supporting himself on his arms. The older two clones kneeled down by him, patting his shoulder and back, speaking softly and carefully words of encouragement. The others came in closer, slowly, and saw their Captain was crying. Literal tears were falling down and he was sobbing. That was more of a reaction than most have had in… in so long. And his silent words didn't escape them…

"It's over… It's finally over…" he managed, a broken smile coming to his lips as he looked at his brothers. "We're free," and they felt the situation hit them full force. They froze where they were, looked at each other, making sure they all heard right. _Was this really happening? Was it all true?_

"Yes, you are," Commander Cody said back, giving a nod and a smile. "You don't have to be afraid of him anymore."

* * *

They didn't know what would happen to them now that Krell was dead. Some didn't even really care. Most feared that they'd be deemed 'dysfunctional' and be decommissioned. But they'd be ready for whatever decision was made. Even if it meant they'd be taken away. At least that – **demagolka** as they called him – was dead. That was enough for most of them.

But when not only the Captain and Commander, but also their respective Generals put up a vote to have them join their Battalions, they felt a new sense of relief with a mix of fear. They knew these two Generals were some of the kindest there is – the best one being Plo Koon – and their distant brothers assured them of that. Yet they couldn't help but be suspicious, scared and worried. Even with Krell gone, he left his mark. It was like he had personally emended his name into their very core, marking them.

* * *

The decision on how they would be split up into the two Battalions was left with the 112th men themselves. None of them were too sure what to pick – they feared that even that could be turned into a mistake. But with a bit of help from some older brothers in the two Battalions, they settled on it. The closest brothers would be together and the most scarred and broken would join Kenobi. Commander Cody had assured them all that the General would keep them as safe as he could and that his missions were more careful than that of General Skywalker.

The ones who did join Anakin weren't expecting a young Togruta to be the friendliest alien they've come across. She was quick to greet them, offering a tour of the ship. They politely refused at first, until Captain Rex offered to go along. They immediately felt better, but also guilty at the hurt expression that passed the Padawan's face. They knew she was just trying to help, to be kind and show them what they never had, but their trust in Jedi was… weak at best.

Rex understood that and he seemed to explain it to her at one point, as after that, she seemed far more… reserved. They hated how they couldn't trust her, how their minds just wouldn't accept that she and the rest weren't like Krell. But clones were made for adapting and they adapted to Krell. He degraded them to such a level; they didn't even feel like they were part of the millions of clones.

The only thing left before they were fully realized into the Battalions, were some health evaluations. To see if any of them had major injuries or something of the like, and to see how their mental state was. And it was all kept very 'hush hush', because if the Kaminoans every found out, they'd just toss them into the decommission center.

* * *

A bit of time passed and they were very slowly starting to adapt to the new situation and command. They were given coms and vids to talk with their other brothers, yet some still used it in secret, fearing if they were found, they'd be punished. Everyone told them there was more than enough food and water, but they still ate little and saved what they could. It got to the point where one of the ARC Troopers – _Fives, he was Fives_ – didn't let any of them leave until they ate a reasonable amount.

They hated how quickly they accepted that, how the younger ones almost had a feast and how _good_ it felt to actually eat something proper until they felt better. When Fives asked a shiney if he wanted seconds, the kid could only nod while trying not to cry. It was the first step to really seeing that things would be different this time around.

The next came, when they started seeing General Skywalker and Kenobi walking around them without his lightsaber. From what they've been told, those weapons are their life, so what reason would they have to not have them? And when they saw Commander Tano setting her own glow sticks down before coming to them, they understood. They were doing it for them, because they knew they feared those weapons. Because they wanted them to feel welcomed and safe. Because they cared.

The last and probably biggest crack in their carefully crafted armor came in the form of that very Padawan. She has come to them, as usual for a small chat, when she asked what their names were. The 112th men had only told their clone bothers about how their names were lost, forgotten and thrown away. Their brothers tried to help them in any way they could, and the 112th was slowly adapting to it. However, seeing the horror and sadness in the young Jedi's face when she learned that, made them all look away. She was more affected by this than they themselves. But she quickly regained herself and simply said: "Well, I guess we better find you some names, huh?"

It wasn't even a week later that much more attention was given to their names. Their brothers tried to keep it low, for their sake, but now that the Jedi knew, there was no reason for that anymore. So they adapted to that as well. A few managed to recall their old names, but most of them chose new one. They especially loved the ones given to them by their older brothers.

* * *

And then, there were those two pilots… The ones General Skywalker had called to him one day. Both were scared, as usually when this happened, Krell would likely kill or at least yell at both of them. Reeve and Captain Rex were there as well, and the two were confused more than anything at that. As it turned out, Anakin was so pleased by their piloting skills; he wanted to ask if he could suggest a few names. The Jedi said that he knew clones named themselves or were named by their brothers, so he would understand if they refused. But he just felt like, maybe, helping them out a bit. _A nudge in the right direction._ It was safe to say that the two were in too much shock to do much else than nod.

"Alright, how about Drifter and Whirlwind?" Anakin had said and the two tested out the names. Their faces cracked up in a giant smile as they nodded fiercely, thanking their General. _Never thought they'd do that…_

"We're all family here and we look out for our own," Skywalker had said giving a bow to them. "I am honored to fight besides men as strong as you."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cut! I think this was the longest one yet? Does it matter? Not really, but still  
> And as I said at the beginning, I won't be adding anything for a short while, but if you got an idea of something that could be used, feel free to share and I'll see what I can do (might even catch a break in school to scribble something down and post it)  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this bit, and if you fancy, maybe leave a review for it? I love hearing from all of you!

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:
> 
> "Ni'll cuyir morut'yc" - I'll be safe  
> "Ibic cuyir nayc guuror Krell" - This is not like Krell  
> "Cuyir ulyc…" - Be safe  
> "Ratiin cuy'" - Always am
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and I hope you liked it! If you did, how about reviewing? It means a ton to me =D  
> Also, if anyone fancies, they can check out my other stories? A pet project of mine and a crack fic for Star Wars. Just a suggestion =P


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